Chapter 20
I’ve been arguing with myself all morning long as I get ready to go to a ceremony that I’ve been
uninvited to. I know he only did it because he didn’t want me to go with Gavin, but it still hurt me. I
haven’t talked to him since that day in his office, and it’s been killing me, so I just try to keep myself
busy at all times.
Gavines to visit almost every other day and is always a gentleman, so I really don’t understand
what Den’s problem is with his own cousin. Gavin had asked me himself if I’d be his date to the
Luna ceremony, but I had to decline the offer. So, now I’m standing on the side of the packhouse,
listening to the growling voices of the soon-to-be-Luna and Alpha Den.
The fact that L actually thought that she was marrying the Alpha today makes me want tough. I
peek around the corner and can see the expression on Den’s face as he tells her in a not so kind of
voice that he isn’t marrying her. The audacity of the woman, I swear! Not only did she use Den to get
pregnant, but now she’s trying to trick him into marriage, also? When will it ever end? I feel horrible for
the Alpha, he doesn’t deserve any of this, even if he did make a mistake.
They are already halfway through the ceremony when Ie back to awareness. Stepping out and
moving forward, I stop once more when I feel my heart stutter and begin thumping once again. Startled,
I nce towards Den, and he’s looking straight at me. I see him look around me; I’m assuming he’s
looking to see if I’m with anybody, but I’m not. I nod at him, and I can see a slight lift to the side of his
mouth before he continues the ceremony.
Once L drinks from the cup, Den says a few more words that will create the band-like bond
between Luna and the entire pack. She will now be able tomunicate with any pack member
through mind link. Only the Alpha and Luna can mind link pack members in both human and wolf
forms. The rest of the pack can onlymunicate with other pack members through the mind link
when they are in wolf form.
I watch as different pack members make ufortable faces when they feel the bond snap into ce.
I’m so thankful that I am no longer part of this pack because I don’t know how I would handle having
that ***in my head all the time.
After the ceremony was over, the crowd disperses and I move forward to speak to Amelia, “How is my
favorite adoptive mom?” I ask from behind her.
She whips around and a smile brightens her face as she pulls me in for a hug.
“Oh, my sweet Quinn! I’ve missed having you around.” She pulls back and then covers her mouth as
she gasps, “I apologize, it’s sweet Alpha Quinn now, isn’t it?” The older woman chuckles.
“Not to you it isn’t, Amelia, and I better not catch you ever using that title with me.” 1 chide with a smirk.
“Well, just look at you! You look so much older since Ist saw you. Are you eating? I don’t see any
meat on these bones!”
“Will you stop harassing the poor woman, Mother. Quinn looks ravishing as always.” Den’s
compliment makes me blush as he leans in to kiss my cheek
“Thank you, Den, you’re looking pretty handsome yourself.” I turn toward Amelia, “I love the suit, you
have a good eye.”
“Hey, how do you know I didn’t pick it out?” Den pouts.
Amelia and I look at each other before we burst outughing.
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“Oh honey,” Amelia turns to her son, “Don’t ever lose your charm.” She pats him on his chest.
“Hey beautiful, it’s good to see you here! I thought you weren’ting.” Carter slides up beside me and
gives me a side hug.
“I couldn’t leave Den hanging on a day like today. I may not have been able to save him like he did
me, but the least I could do is give him some moral support.” I smile up at the handsome-as-ever
Alpha.
“Good thing too because seriously…”
Carter coughs just before the smell of that ***awful perfume rips through my nose. We are all standing
in a circle when Les up to us.
“There you are, my Alpha!” L wraps her hand through Den’s arm and bats hershes up at him.
He removes her hand and res down at her, “What do you want now, L?”
“It’s time to cut the cake, silly.” She doesn’t let her smile waver, and we all know that she is only putting
on a show for the guests.
“This is not a **wedding or a mating ceremony, L! Stop trying to make it more than what it is. You got
yourself a title, and I got myself an heir, that’s all. If you want cake, then go eat some *****!” Den
says all of this in a low-growling whisper.
L looks around our circle and when her eyesnd on me, they harden, “What the hell is she doing
here?”
I raise a brow, but I don’t have to say anything because Amelia speaks up for me, ” Alpha Quinn is an
ally, and all of our allies were invited.”
“You should be happy that another of our allies came, since most apparently, don’t think much of you
being my Luna.” Den scoffs.
“But she was uninvited! Is this how it’s always going to be between us? You lean on HER for everything
instead of me, your Luna?” L whines and crosses her arms.
“I’ve already told you that Quinn will alwayse before you, she’s family. As for you being my Luna,
remember that it was forced upon me, not fated, or chosen.” Den states. He faces me once more,
“Allow me to take you to our other allies and introduce you properly.”
“I would love that, thank you, Den.” I turn to his mother. “Amelia, are youing along? I’m sure you
would do better introducing me to the Lunas. As a female and an Alpha, I guess I’m considered to carry
both titles.” I giggle and then nce back at L and wink.
I don’t like the person I am when I’m around the new Luna, but T’s **es out every time. If only
L wouldn’t be so nasty, then I could continue being the nice she-wolf that everybody knows, but no,
her jealousy is going to be her downfall.
“Deke! I’m so d you were able to make it!” Den turns toward me, “You remember Alpha Lincoln
and Luna Stacia’s daughter, don’t you?”
The Alpha of the Sun River pack smiles at me warmly. He’s in his mid-thirties and is widowed. He lost
his wife during childbirth; his son survived, but his Luna didn’t, ” Ah, yes! Quinn, isn’t it?”
I nod and return his smile. “Yes, Alpha Deke. I’m surprised you remembered after all these years.”
“Three years isn’t a long time, and I could never forget the wonderful ally and friend we lost, or his
family. I was incredibly surprised, to hear that you had survived, though.” He takes my hand in one of
his and then covers it with the other, “I was also thrilled to hear that you have taken over as Alpha.
Please, let me know if there is anything that my pack can do for you and your pack, and
congrattions.”
**You are too kind, Alpha Deke, but I will keep that in mind. I’m happy with just having Sun River as an
ally.” I ce my other hand on top of
his.
Deke turns back to Den, “I’m so sorry to hear about your situation, cousin. I had toe and lend
you my support.”
I do a double take, “Excuse me, cousin?”
Both menugh, but then Amelia is the one to exin, “Deke’s mother was mine and Daniel’s older
sister. She passed away quite a few years ago. She says sadly.
“Oh, I’m so sorry for all of your losses, Alpha Deke. So, all three River packs are rted then,
interesting: I hadn’t known that.”
*Yeah, but this is the only male cousin that I actually like.” Den inputs.
Deke throws his head back andughs, “That’s only because Gavin is too much like Uncle.”
“You can say that again—” Den growls but cuts it short the moment Amelia res at him.
I don’t dare try to defend Gavin in front of Den, so I just remain quiet. I nce around the backyard
while Amelia and Den begin conversating with Deke. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as
soon as my eyesnd on the new Luna, who is across the yard, staring daggers at me. I honestly don’t
know why she doesn’t like me. Well, now that T has let her ws out at the she-wolf, I understand,
but before? Oh well, not much I can do about it.
“Quinn,” Den gets my attention, “Are you ready to move on?”
“Oh, yes! I’m sorry, I was just letting my eyes wander around. I didn’t want to interrupt your
conversation.” | nce around and take notice that Alpha Deke has already disappeared.
I let Den take hold of my elbow and lead me around to each Alpha, introducing us one by one.
Whenever wee to an Alpha with his Luna beside him, Amelia steps in and we chat while the males
have their conversations, but I always keep my ears open in case they talk about actual Alpha
business. I am an Alpha first and foremost after all.
Den almost has me feeling sorry for L because it should be her on his arm being introduced to the
other packs, but like he had told her, she only has the title. I actually worry for the pack because I don’t
think L has the faintest idea on how to rule beside an Alpha, but I’m hoping she surprises us all for
Den’s sake.
The way the Alpha leads me around and stays close by my side, and how he talks about how proud he
is of me, I almost feel as though I’m his Luna. At least that’s what keeps running through my head. T
scoffs at me, but I can’t help the way I feel, this is wrong. I’m fine with Den introducing me to the
other Alphas, but not how he is going about it. If someone new were to walk in right now, I guarantee
they
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would assume that I was the new Luna.
So, I do theplete opposite of what my wolf is telling me to do, and I excuse myself briefly. I head
over to the ring Luna and lean in closer to her, “You know, Lunas don’t just stand in the corner and
be **. This is your Luna ceremony, and you should be out there, mingling.”
L stares at me stunned, “Oh, I’m sorry, am I supposed to walk around by myself while my Alpha has
his **on his arm?”
I choke on myughter, “You know nothing of our rtionship, L. You assume things that are all in
your head. I apologize for my wolf being a **, and we shouldn’t rub you the wrong way, but you just
can’t seem to be civil with us. I’m trying here, Luna.”
She studies me before rolling her eyes, “Whatever. It is what it is. He has made it clear that I am
nobody to him, but I wish he would treat me with a little respect in front of the guests and the rest of the
pack.”
“I don’t see you doing anything about the situation. You are just standing here, being unsociable. A
Luna will make the best of the situation.” I instruct her.
“Why are you trying to help me?” She asks skeptically.
“Honestly, I don’t know. You tricked a great Alpha into making you his Luna, and I know you’re hiding
something, but when you look bad, it makes him look bad as an Alpha, and I can’t have that for my
friend.” I do an unthinkable thing and ***my arm with hers and lead her over to Den and the others.
Den’s eyes go wide when he sees my arm ***with L’s, “Quinn?”
I just smile. “Your Luna was being shy and hiding in the corner. I thought it would be best if she came
over to join us, so she can get to know your allies as well, Alpha Den.”
I feel Amelia pat my shoulder, “You are such a thoughtful friend, Alpha Quinn. You are absolutely right:
Luna L should meet both Alphas and their Lunas.
I nce back at Den and see the tick in his clenched jaw, but he hides it as soon as the others look
his way. “Of course!” he says, “1 assumed she was busy tending to the other guests.”
I know better than to let her arm go because she will go straight to Den and act like a loving Luna,
which wouldn’t be a bad idea, but I keep hold for two reasons; one, Den looks as if he could strangle
his Luna if she says the wrong thing, and the second is more of a selfish one. I simply do not want to
see her touching him.
All of that falls apart, though, the moment I am pulled away from the Luna and the rest by a persistent
Alpha heir, “You came, Quinn! It’s so good to see you again, two days has been too long!” Gavin pulls
me in for a hug, “I want to introduce you to my father, you have yet to meet
him.”
I nce over my shoulder as he pulls me away, only to see Duke sh in the Alpha’s eyes. L takes
my leave as a chance to sidle up to Den’s side. His face goes nk before he reces his re
with a big smile and looks down at his Luna as he pats her hand on his arm affectionately